Electric flash percussive welding



Jan. 25, 1949. R1.. SPENCER 2,459,847

ELECTRIC FLASH PERCUSSIVE WELDING` Filed June 14, 1945 /ffw/ Z. ff/wm,

Patented Jan. 25, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC FLASH PERCUSSIVE. WELDING Percy L. Spencer, West Newton, Mass., assignmto Raytheon Manufacturing Company, Newton,

Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application June 14, 1945, Serial No. 599,405

(Cl. 21S- 4) 4 Claims. 1v

This invention relates to electric welding, and more particularly to electric flash percussive welding.

In welding systems or the type to which the invention relates, one oi' the work pieces to be welded is connected to one terminal of a high voltage source, and the other work piece is connected to the other terminal of said source. The work pieces are then brought together' under impact, and as the same approach each other and before physical contact is made, the voltage is suiiciently high to cause an arc across the intervening gap, so that the surfaces of the metal are molten before the impact takes place. In such systems a portion of the energy supplied to the work pieces is lost in the gap during the arc discharge. Since the length of this gap is dependent upon the applied voltage, the losses in the gap increase as the applied voltage increases. Thus, as the area oi the two work pieces at which the weld is to be eiected increases and a correspondingly higher voltage is required to effect the necessary softening of the juxtaposed surfaces, the energy losses inthe gap increase It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a system of the type described in which the distance between the two work pieces at which arcing occurs at a given voltage is substantially reduced. Accordingly, the energy losses in the gap are substantially reduced, or the potential applied to the work pieces may be substantially increased without increasing the energy losses in the gap.

The means and mode or" attainment of the foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will be made fully apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a wiring diagram of a welding circuit constructed. Yin accordancev with the present invention; and v Fig. 2 shows in side elevation a welding ap paratus suitable for use in the practice of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, reference numeral indicates a storage condenser or a bank of such condensers adapted to be charged from a suitable source of alternating current S, such as a commercial supply line, the voltage of which is stepped up by a transformer I and rectified by a suitable gaseous discharge tube 8. Preferably, a variable resistor 9 is provided between the condenser 5 and the rectier 8, which resistor controls the charging rate of the condenser 5. In

order to vary the potential to which the condenser 5 may be charged, one or the other of the windings of transformer l, in this instance the primary winding, is provided with a plurality of taps i to which the line 6 may be selectively connected in order to vary the turn ratio of the transformer and thereby vary the voltage of the output thereof. One of the terminals of the condenser 5 is connected through a variable inductance II to one oi the work pieces I2, and the other terminal of the condenser is connected to the other1 of the work pieces I3. The two work pieces I2 and I3 are normally held in spaced relation in chucks I4 and I5. Initially, the distance between the juxtaposed surfaces of the 'two work pieces I2 and I3 is sufciently great to prevent an arc from occurring across the intervening space at the potential to which the condenser 5 is charged. As the two work pieces are moved into contact at a velocity sufficient to produce the desired impact, the gap therebetween becomes suficiently small so that an arc flashes across the gap between the two work pieces. In order to reduce the distance at which such an arc will normally occur between the two work pieces at any given potential on the condenser 5, I provide a magnetic field extending transversely to the lines of current flow in the arc. To this end I provide an electromagnet I6 having a coil II, the terminals of which are connected to a suitable source of direct current I8. The two poles of the electromagnet I5 provide a magnetic field coextensive with the maximum distance between the two work pieces I2 and I3 so that the lines of the electromagnetic force extend transversely to the lines of the electrostatic force between the two work pieces.

An apparatus for carrying out the process of the present invention is shown in Fig. 2. Referring to this figure, the chuck I4 holding the work piece I 2 is mounted upon a movable member I9. The member I9 is slidable on guide rods 20 and is adapted to be actuated by a spring 2|, bea-ring at one end upon the member I9 and at its opposite end against a xed member 22 mounted upon a supporting frame 23. The spring 2l is adapted to be compressed by a lever 24 having a spring-pressed pawl 25 adapted to engage a projecting nger on the member I9. The chuck I5 for holding the work piece I3 is mounted upon a supporting base 26 mounted on the frame 23. The electromagnet I6 is also supported by the frame 23 at a point intermediate the length thereof and with its pole pieces coextensive with 3 the gap between the end faces of the work pieces I2 and I3. It will be understood that one or the other of the chucks I4 and I5 is suitably insulated from the supportingstructure.

In operation, assuming that the condenser 5 5 has been charged, the work pieces I2 and I3 are normally held in the spaced positionshown, at: which distance the applied potentialiiszinsul'-, cient to cause an arc therebetween. VBy actuating the lever 24, the pawl slips over the proe` 10.@` jection on the member I9 and permits the springv 2I to drive the work piece I2 downwardly-ltoward` the work piece I3. At some .point..in.thefmove. ment of the work piece I 2 towardsthefworkfpiecee I3, the applied voltage becomes sucienttoca-use f- 15I an arc discharge' between the two workA pieces. If no magnetic field were provided acrossthls space in a direction transverse to the. electricv field between the juxtaposed faces of the two work pieces, Asuch arcing wouldoccur whilethe two work pieces arefrelativelyl far apart..lv

f Thelmagnetic. eld hastheeiect .of preventing.v the arc from being.L initiated until. the. twowork. pieces `are much. closer. together. than they would be if nov such eldV were provided, andas.- sumingthe same .voltage isapplied. Thus, at the instant when .thecurrent resulting from the discharge of the condenser isat its highest in-v tensity, the two work. pieces are relatively. close together. Both the space in which and the time during which radiation and other. losses. can. occur are substantiallyreduced.

Whilethe utility of the inventionis not neces? sarily limited toa system in which the .arc. dise charge is oscillatory, sincecthe methodandappaf ratus describedwill reduce the energy losses.. inv thegapregardlessof the .nature of thedischarge. it will be understood that .an .oscillatory discharge. of high frequency, 1000 cycles persecondQor more,- is commonly desiredin the art voffflash percussive welding. The. frequency utilized is. limitedbythe fact that it should not be sohgh thatthe wave. trainhas decayed before Vthe parts .canbe brought.` together. The present invention hasspecialutility in systems using an .oscillatory discharge, since., such discharge is normally of. decreasing ampli-f tude. The work pieces are the` farthest apart at.. the Ytime when the discharge-is at 'its highest .in-v tensity.V By providing-a. system. in vvwhich theinitiation of 'the arc.isprevented'untilftlfieparts 50 are closer. together than hasheretoforebeen pos-v sible, the energy ofthe .most intense portion. oif the wave train is conserved. Also V.the.d1'J.ration ofthedischarge, for a given vvelocitvat impact... is reduced, and accordinglya highervfrequency may be. utilized.

Although ,there has been herein described a preferred' embodiment off the.Y invention,.. other embodiments within theY scope. .of the., appended.-A claims will be'obviousitothose skilled inthe art, 60 from a .consideration of the formshown. andthe., teachings jhereof. Accordinglyga broad 'interpre-l tation of the claims, commensurate with. theV scope of the invention within 4the art,4 is desired.,

What is claimed is:

1. The method of electrically weldingtwo mer tallic parts which comprises .,moving.: said L parts from a separated position toward .eachothen im- 4 pinging one of said parts upon the other, impressing a voltage between said parts suicient to provide an arc between said parts when a short distance apart whereby an arc is established between said parts as the same approach contacting relation, and maintaining a unidirectional magnetic .eld acrossl thespace between saidfpa-rtsf: with the lines; of@ force lof. said magnetic iield directed transversely to the lines of electrostatic force between said parts, whereby saidarc is provided at a shorter distance than in theabsence Vof-said-'magnetic iield.

2.: Anapparatus.` for electric percussion weld- .ingcornprising a-zxed member for mounting a workepiecegproviding a rst electrode, a movable member for mounting a second work piece providing asecond-'electrodey means for actuating saidrmovable member to impinge said second electrode against said first electrode, means for establishing.. an. electrostatic.v field. betw.een;.said workpieces suicientto provide-anarc. therebe: tween as the same approach contacting'relatien,. and means for. maintaining a...magneticriieldfin the space between said electrodes andextending. transverse to.. said electrostatic. field to.A reduce. the distance between vsaid electrodes at which. sai arcis established.

3. An apparatus .iorelectric .percussionwe'lde Y ing comprising a. xed; member for mounting., a

work., piece providing a .rstelectrode,,atrnovableJ member formoun-ting asecond work piecheproe viding. a. .secondll electrode, means for.. actuating., saidmovable..member. to impinge said'secondl electrode against .said ist electrode, a.. storage. condenser for establishing an electrostatic..eld`

' betweensaid workpiecessuicient to prox/ideen.

arc therebetween Aas the same. approach .contacte ing relation, and Imeans `.for maintaining Aamagr.4 netic eld. in. the.. space between saitbele'ctrodes.M and' extendingr transverseA to.. said' electrostaticv fie' l.d. 4 to reducethe distance between...said` elec: trods Yat which saldare isestablished".v

4. An apparatus. for electricpercussion Weldfl ing comprising mounting means for mounting, a.- work p iece providingt a rst electrode, mounting means .for mounting a second'work -piece provideing a second`electrode, means formovingsaid p mountingwmeans toward ea'ch other to impinge.

said electrodes against each other, means.. for'v establishing` an; electrostatic field between .said i Work pieces suiicientto provide an ,arc therebetween as the same approach contactingrelation`- and' means forV maintaining a magnetic ldim the .space between said electrodesand fextendirls transverse `to said. electrostatic field toireducejhe.. distance l.between said .electrodes'atwliichl-saidiarc.. is established.' Y

PERCY" L.' SPENCERL..

vThe following, references ;-arefof..record inethe-v le of this patent:

2,286,210 Klemperenet al- June.,16,;.194-2s 

